PAM, 

JAPAN 


/'K 


APPLIED  CHRISTIANITY 
IN  THE  HOKKAIDO  - - 

*5-  * AN  ATTEMPT  AT  * * 
PRISON  REFORM  IN  JAPAN 


By  REV.  WILLIAM  W.  CURTIS,  of  Sendai 


American  Boar  to  of  Commissioners  for  tforeign  JHisstons 

I SOMERSET  STREET,  BOSTON 


Applied  Christianity  in  the  Hokkaido: 

AN  ATTEMPT  AT  PRISON  REFORM  IN  JAPAN. 


An  experiment  is  being  tried  in  the  great  northern  island  of  this  empire  which 
ought  to  enlist  the  sympathies  of  all  Christendom.  The  people  of  Japan  have 
not  yet  opened  their  eyes  to  what  is  going  on  within  their  borders,  but  the 
experiment,  which  is  nothing  less  than  an  attempt  to  administer  the  great  govern- 
ment prisons  of  the  Hokkaido  according  to  Christian  principles,  is  being  made 
with  the  full  approval  of  the  central  government,  who  take  deep  interest  in  it, 
and  seem  to  expect  that  it  will  result  in  a reformation  in  the  treatment  of 
prisoners  throughout  the  land. 

Fourteen  years  ago  the  government  began  the  practice  of  sending  long- 
sentence  convicts  to  the  wilds  of  the  Hokkaido,  which  they  were  trying  to 
colonize,  intending  to  utilize  these  convicts  in  preparing  the  way  for  the  coming 
of  settlers.  Now  there  are  four  great  prisons,  two  in  the  west,  in  the  Ishikari 
valley,  a region  rapidly  being  settled  and  in  which  is  Sapporo,  the  capital  of  the 
Hokkaido,  and  two  in  the  east,  one  on  the  Okhotsk  Sea,  the  other  some  sixty- 
five  miles  inland.  A fifth  prison  is  soon  to  be  opened  in  the  fertile  Tokachi 
valley,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  island.  In  these  four  prisons  are  some  7,000 
men,  employed  for  the  most  part  in  cutting  down  the  forests  and  reclaiming 
land,  in  roadmaking,  and  in  mining.  Into  the  regions  which  they  have  opened 
in  the  forests  settlers  are  flocking  by  the  hundreds  yearly.  The  product  of  their 
labor  in  the  coal  mines  is  finding  its  way  by  the  million  tons  to  America.  No 
convicts  are  sent  to  the  Hokkaido  under  a shorter  sentence  than  twelve  years,  the 
periods  ranging  from  this  to  life  service,  so  that  scarcely  any  have  been  discharged 
as  yet;  but  within  the  next  two  years  some  1,900  will  gain  their  freedom.  The 
result  of  turning  loose  so  many  criminals  in  that  thinly  populated  region  is  looked 
forward  to  with  anxiety  by  the  settlers. 

A few  years  ago  these  prisons  were  entirely  independent  of  each  other,  and  in 
some  of  them  the  government  was  quite  lax.  Two  years  since  they  were  all  put 
under  one  management,  and  the  most  efficient  of  the  wardens,  Mr.  Oinue,  was 
made  general  superintendent,  in  addition  to  the  duty  of  being  warden  of  one  of 
the  prisons.  Mr.  Oinue  is  a man  of  great  executive  ability,  ranking  highest  in 
this  respect,  I have  heard,  of  all  the  wardens  in  Japan.  Very  strict  in  the  execu- 
tion of  the  prison  rules,  he  at  the  same  time  shows  so  kind  a heart  that  he  is 


3 


both  feared  and  liked  by  the  prisoners  and  most  thoroughly  respected  by  every- 
body. He  consults  freely  and  intimately  with  the  other  wardens  and  with  the 
moral  instructors,  so  that  whatever  is  attempted  is  sure  of  having  sympathetic 
support  in  all  the  prisons.  His  superior  insight  led  him  to  the  conviction  years 
ago  that  the  principles  of  Christianity  are  what  are  needed  for  the  instruction  of 
the  prisoners,  and  he  was  anxious  to  get  a Christian  instructor  for  the  prison  of 
which  he  then  had  charge.  Succeeding  in  this,  and  his  anticipations  being  fully 
realized,  when  he  was  subsequently  transferred  to  another  prison  he  soon  secured 
a Christian  instructor  for  that;  afterward,  when  made  superintendent  of  all,  he 
went  to  the  third  prison,  the  oldest  of  all,  and  introduced  a Christian  teacher 
there,  and  to  the  fourth  prison,  which  was  just  opened,  he  sent  as  warden  the  man 
who  had  been  next  to  him  in  authority  in  his  first  prison  and  who  also  had 
become  convinced  that  the  new  religion  was  the  right  one  for  the  instruction  of 
criminals,  so  to  that  prison  a Christian  teacher  was  appointed  from  the  start. 

In  my  tours  in  the  Hokkaido  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  visit  all  of  these 
prisons  and  to  inspect  them  thoroughly ; some  of  them  in  two  successive  years. 

My  first  visit  was  to  the  chief  prison.  When  the  instructor  requested  the  privi- 
lege of  showing  the  prison  to  his  friend  he  was  refused  permission  on  the  ground 
that  it  is  against  the  rules  of  the  Prison  Department  to  admit  strangers.  But  sub- 
sequently learning  that  I was  a Christian  missionary,  Superintendent  Oinue,  not 
only  waived  the  rule,  but  in  person  showed  me  over  the  whole  institution.  I was 
greatly  pleased  at  the  evidences  I saw  in  all  of  the  prisons  that  officers  and 
guards  discharge  their  duties,  not  perfunctorily,  but  with  an  interest  in  the  wel- 
fare of  their  prisoners.  Spending  weeks  in  the  neighborhood  of  these  prisons  I 
saw  the  convicts  in  many  places,  both  within  and  without  prison  walls,  and  saw 
them  under  various  circumstances,  yet  not  once  did  I see  the  abuse  that  I have 
seen  in  other  parts  of  the  country.  The  system  of  management  seems  well  cal- 
culated to  develop  manhood,  and  to  make  the  men  capable  of  earning  their 
living  as  good  citizens  when  released. 

The  greater  part  of  the  men  are  engaged,  as  has  been  said,  in  public  works, 
but  each  prison  has  its  farm  and  its  series  of  workshops,  in  which  are  carried 
on  such  industries  as  are  needful  in  their  self-support,  yet  none  of  these  are 
carried  to  such  an  extent  as  to  compete  with  free  labor  by  throwing  the  products 
of  prison  labor  into  the  market.  The  workshops  in  these  great  prisons  are  inter- 
esting sights.  In  them  are  carried  on  carpentering,  blacksmithing,  coopering, 
tailoring,  shoemaking,  harness  and  saddle  making,  toolmaking*  etc.  Rice- 
cleaning is  an  important  industry  in  Japan,  and  each  prison  has  its  rice-cleaning 
and  also  its  shoyu  and  miso  department.  These  sauces,  shoyu  and  miso,  made  of 


4 


beans,  wheat,  and  salt,  are  almost  as  essential  to  a Japanese  meal  and  in  cooking 
as  pepper  and  salt  are  with  us.  The  rations  served  are  abundant  and  wholesome, 
and  a principal  article  of  diet  is  rice  and  wheat  mixed  in  the  proportion  of  six 
parts  to  four,  more  nourishing  than  the  clear  rice,  which  is  the  usual  food  of  the 
better  classes  in  the  land. 

The  washhouse,  the  cookhouse,  the  bathhouse,  the  changehouse  where 
garments  are  changed  as  they  go  out  to  work  and  again  as  they  return,  the  dry- 
house  where  their  workclothes  if  wet  are  quickly  dried,  and  the  hospital  all 
show  thorough  provision  for  the  bodily  wants  of  the  men. 

The  cells  are  well  ventilated,  clean,  and  neat.  In  almost  every  one  is  to  be  seen 
a little  pile  of  books,  scientific,  ethical,  and  religious,  showing  not  only  the  privilege 
granted  them,  but  that  the  men  as  a rule  are  glad  to  avail  themselves  of  it.  A 
noticeable  feature  in  each  cell  is  the  handwriting  on  the  wall.  A “ golden 
saying”  hangs  there,  the  words  of  some  wise  man,  Confucius,  Mencius,  or  other 
ancient  or  modern  sage,  among  them  quotations  from  the  Bible.  These  aphor- 
isms, selected  by  the  warden  or  the  instructor,  look  the  men  in  the  face  as  they 
enter  their  cells  day  by  day  until  they  are  thoroughly  familiar,  then  are  replaced 
by  new  ones. 

More  interesting  than  the  workshops  and  cells  are  two  rooms,  one  for  personal 
conversation,  where  the  instructor  summons  individuals  with  whom  he  wishes  to 
talk  privately  and  where  they  may  seek  an  interview  with  him  if  they  choose, 
and  the  room  where  is  kept  the  record  of  work  and  behavior.  The  conduct  of 
each  prisoner  is  recorded  every  day  in  regard  to  three  particulars  : ( i ) observance 
of  the  rules,  (2)  deportment  toward  the  guards  and  toward  other  prisoners,  and 
(3)  diligence  in  work.  If  well  behaved,  they  are  granted  special  favors,  and  are 
paid  a small  amount  monthly,  being  permitted  with  the  money  to  make  pur- 
chases. They  receive  rewards  of  merit  in  the  shape  of  blue  squares  on  the 
coatsleeve.  I have  seen  a good  many  in  the  shops  with  one,  two,  three,  four, 
and  even  five  of  these  marks  of  honor,  the  latter  showing  them  to  be  worthy  of 
great  trust. 

Each  prison  has  its  chapel,  or  lecture  hall,  where  the  prisoners  are  assembled 
every  Sunday  afternoon  for  a moral  address,  after  which  is  held  a Sunday-school. 
Attendance  at  the  lecture  is  compulsory,  at  the  Sunday-school  optional.  I 
imagine  that  such  unique  Sunday-schools  are  to  be  found  nowhere  else  in  the 
world,  where  side  by  side  are  classes  in  Bible  study  and  classes  in  the  Buddhist 
scriptures  and  the  Confucian  classics.  Here  may  be  seen  zealous  Buddhists  and 
Confucianists,  stimulated  in  the  study  of  their  own  religions  by  the  interest  of 
their  fellow-prisoners  in  the  Christian  religion.  However,  the  study  of  the  Bible, 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/appliedchristianOOcurt 


5 


wherein  are  found  the  wonderful,  new  doctrines  of  the  fatherhood  of  God  and 
the  brotherhood  of  man  and  of  a present  salvation  from  sin,  proves  by  far  the 
greater  attraction. 

There  are  many  inquirers  about  Christianity  in  each  of  the  prisons.  Out  of 
1,506  prisoners  in  the  Kabato  prison,  where  Christian  instruction  was  begun 
latest  of  all,  510  are  studying  the  Bible,  and  of  these  148  pray  daily  and  follow 
the  course  of  daily  Bible  readings  marked  out  by  the  Seisho  no  Tomo  (Bible 
Friend),  a course  used  quite  generally  by  the  Christians  of  Japan.  There  is  no 
chance  while  in  prison  for  a public  confession  of  Christ,  as  by  joining  the  church, 
but  the  radical  change  wrought  in  the  character  of  some  of  the  men  is  such  as 
greatly  to  impress  those  who  have  witnessed  it.  According  to  the  testimony  of 
their  teachers  they  are  “ an  example  to  believers.” 

The  results  of  Christian  instruction  have  not  yet  attracted  public  attention  to 
any  extent,  so  few  have  as  yet  been  released,  but  these  results  are  beginning  to 
be  manifest  in  the  prisons,  not  merely  in  the  conversion  of  some  but  by  a 
general  leavening.  In  evidence  of  this,  the  little  effort  made  of  late  to  escape 
from  prison  may  be  compared  with  that  of  a few  years  ago.  From  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  year  up  to  the  latter  part  of  May,  when  I last  visited  the 
prisons,  but  one  man  out  of  all  the  7,000  prisoners  had  escaped.  Last  year  the 
number  of  fugitives  was  70  ; the  year  before  it  was  160 ; the  year  before  that  a 
still  greater  number.  For  this  improvement  two  reasons  were  given  me:  one 
that  the  prisoners  are  beginning  to  believe  that  they  can  depend  on  the  Chris- 
tians to  befriend  them  when  they  are  discharged ; the  other,  that  the  guards  in 
all  of  the  prisons  are  becoming  interested  in  the  good  conduct  of  the  prisoners, 
and  are  doing  their  best,  so  that  a generous  rivalry  has  arisen  as  to  which  of  the 
prisons  can  make  the  best  showing. 

The  general  tone  in  all  the  prisons  has  greatly  changed  under  Christian 
influence. 

One  thing  that  has  given  the  prisoners  great  hope  is  the  organization  of  an 
“ Association  for  the  Protection  of  Discharged  Prisoners.”  A large  tract  of 
land  was  selected  not  far  from  Kabato,  on  the  Ishikari  River,  the  largest  river  in 
Japan,  where  it  was  planned  to  found  what  they  call  a Puritan  colony  of  these 
discharged  men,  having  as  the  ideal  of  this  colony  that  simplicity  of  life  and 
uprightness  of  character  which  marked  the  early  New  England  colonies.  ^A 
schoolhouse  and  a church  are  to  be  the  first  buildings.  Buddhist  opposition  of 
late  has  put  obstacles  in  the  way  of  their  getting  a title  to  the  land,  and  it  is  yet 
uncertain  whether  they  will  be  able  to  carry  out  their  plans  just  as  designed. 
Another  thing  that  has  been  very  helpful  is  a prison  magazine  called  The 


6 


Sympathy,  which  has  quite  a circulation  in  the  prisons.  Many  of  the  prisoners, 
as  I understand,  subscribe  for  it.  It  is  an  independent  undertaking  of  the 
instructors,  having  no  government  aid  in  its  maintenance. 

The  way  in  which  this  great  experiment  in  the  Hokkaido  came  to  be  attempted, 
the  Providential  leadings  in  it  from  the  first  until  now,  are  of  deep  interest. 

I have  heard  the  story  from  the  lips  of  those  who  were  moved  of  God  to 
undertake  it,  and  have  before  me  as  I write  notes  penned  by  them  to  aid  me  in 
making  this  record.  They  speak  with  great  modesty  but  with  the  deep  con- 
viction that  they  were  called  of  God  to  undertake  this  work  — and  that  what 
has  already  been  done  is  but  the  small  beginnings  of  what  God  is  going  to  do 
for  this  class  of  people  for  whom  they  labor. 

The  pioneer  in  this  work  was  Taneakira  Hara,  who  was  one  of  the  first  to 
become  a Christian  in  New  Japan.  He  was  baptized  in  1874,  at  the  same  time 
with  a number  who  have  become  prominent  as  preachers.  Mr.  Hara  decided 
not  to  give  up  his  business,  which  was  mining,  but  wishing  to  engage,  indirectly 
at  least,  in  Christian  work  he  started  a bookstore  for  the  sale  of  Bibles  and 
other  religious  publications.  This  store,  the  Jujiya,  is  the  oldest  of  all  Chris- 
tian bookstores  and  publishing  houses,  and  has  sold  more  religious  books  than 
any  other  house  in  Japan.  Mr.  Hara  did  not  confine  himself,  however,  to 
religious  publications.  A political  pamphlet  written  by  him  was  the  instru- 
mental cause  of  a complete  change  in  all  his  plans  for  life.  It  happened  in  this 
wise. 

In  1883  several  members  of  the  Liberal  party  gave  offence  to  the  government 
by  some  of  their  political  utterances,  and  were  arrested,  among  them  Mr.  Kono, 
now  the  leader  of  that  party  in  parliament.  Mr.  Hara,  sympathizing  with  them 
and  disliking  the  government’s  attempt  to  prevent  freedom  of  speech,  published 
a little  book  containing  the  pictures  of  these  men,  with  a sketch  of  their  lives, 
and  no  doubt  giving  his  own  opinion  on  the  subject  of  free  speech.  For  this 
he  also  was  arrested,  and  was  sentenced  to  three  months’  imprisonment.  To 
quote  his  own  graphic  words,  “ I crept  into  the  gates  of  the  prison.  Immediately 
my  clothes  turned  red.1  I was  taken  along  with  three  robbers  into  a room  where 
were  kept  over  100  prisoners,  though  at  that  time  they  were  all  out  at  work. 
Sitting  down  quietly  on  the  mats,  I looked  around  and  saw  seated  at  a table  a 
man  evidently  in  charge  of  the  room,  although  a prisoner.  He  was  eying  me 
intently  as  though  trying  to  recall  something.  At  length  he  beckoned  to  me, 
and  still  looking  most  earnestly  at  me  as  I drew  near,  he  asked,  ‘ Do  you  know 
me?  I know  you,  but  cannot  recall  your  name.’  But  I did  not  know  him  at 


1 The  prison  garb  in  Japan  is  of  a brick-red  color. 


7 


all,  nor  could  I believe  that  I could  have  a friend  among  the  criminals  in  prison. 
He  was  impatient  to  know  who  I was.  I told  him  that  I was  a bookseller  and 
my  shop  was  on  Ginza  Street.  No  sooner  had  I said  this  than  he  slapped  his 
hand  on  his  knee  with  the  cry,  ‘ Ah  ! you  are  a Jesus-teacher  ! Yes,  it  was  you  ! 
But  how  did  you  happen  to'come  here?  At  all  events  your  misfortune  is  my 
good  fortune,  and  heaven’s  will  may  have  been  in  it.’  Then  with  great  polite- 
ness he  went  on  to  say,  ‘ How  fortunate  I am  to  meet  you  again,  teacher. 
I have  seen  you  time  and  again  in  my  dreams.  I never  expected  to  see 
you  here,  but  my  heart’s  request  to  meet  you  again  is  granted  to-day.’  He 
seemed  full  of  joy  and  thankfulness,  and  continued,  ‘ I committed  a great 
crime,  a robbery,  on  account  of  which  my  conscience  troubled  me  exceedingly. 
One  evening  walking  along  Ginza  Street  I happened  on  a crowd  to  whom 
a man  was  preaching.  I stopped  to  listen.  You  were  that  preacher ; I cannot 
forget  that.’ 

“ So  the  man  said,  but  I never  used  to  preach,  and  do  not  remember  that  I 
ever  stood  before  my  shop  and  spoke  to  the  passing  people.  Yet  it  may  be  that 
the  Lord  guided  me  to  speak  on  that  one  occasion.  He  went  on  : ‘As  you 
spoke  you  said,  “ What  is  more  bitter  to  the  human  heart  than  the  consciousness 
of  sins  and  crimes  ? Bodily  pain,  though  severe,  is  easily  borne  compared  with 
the  pain  of  remorse.  It  is  only  the  salvation  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  Peace, 
that  can  give  comfort  to  the  repenting  heart.”  My  heart  was,  indeed,  in  most 
bitter  agony  at  that  time,  and  nothing  could  give  me  any  peace  or  comfort. 
Having  heard  from  you  that  there  is  a salvation  which  can  take  away  the  suffer- 
ings of  sin,  I longed  to  know  more  about  it.  But  it  was  not  long  before  I was 
bound  and  put  in  prison  as  the  result  of  my  crimes.  Suffering  is  painful,  yet 
physical  punishment  brought  a feeling  of  comfort  as  paying  back  in  a measure 
my  debt  of  crime,  yet  it  did  not  free  me  from  my  mental  suffering,  and  how 
could  I get  rid  of  this  torture?  No  deed,  no  thought,  no  repentance  could 
release  me  from  it.  Finally  I bought  this  Bible  ’ (he  took  one  out  from  under 
the  table  and  showed  it  to  me)  ; ‘ but  though  I have  the  Bible  I cannot  yet  under- 
stand the  true  meaning  of  salvation,  and  have  been  daily  asking  God’s  guid- 
ance, and  now  here  is  my  opportunity,  though  it  is  your  misfortune.’  Tears  of 
joy  and  gratitude  were  in  his  eyes,  and  I myself  felt  very  thankful.  In  the 
meantime  the  prisoners  had  finished  their  work  and  came  back  to  the  roo^n, 
and  the  man  was  at  once  very  busy  among  them.  Soon  they  began  to  call  me 
the  Jesus-teacher. 

“ The  officials  gave  me  permission  to  teach  the  Bible  and  talk  about  Chris- 
tianity every  night,  and  I was  able  to  work  very  pleasantly  among  them.  Coming 


8 


into  familiar  contact  with  them  and  studying  their  minds  carefully  I found  that 
none  of  them  were  originally  vicious,  but  that  all  had  fallen  into  their  wretched, 
miserable  condition  from  pressure  of  circumstances,  and  that  if  instructed  and 
guided  in  a right  way  there  was  much  hope  of  their  reformation.  It  seemed  to 
me  a most  pitiable  thing  that  the  criminals  suffer  severely  in  prison,  under  cruelly 
strict  punishment,  the  government  regarding  them  as  incurably  diseased  with 
crime,  and  giving  them  no  instruction  good  or  bad ; then  when  they  come  out 
of  prison  they  are  despised  generally  and  hated,  whatever  they  say  or  do.  So 
thinking,  I spent  my  term  of  imprisonment  in  careful  study  of  the  criminals.  As 
for  myself  this  imprisonment  was  the  bitterest  suffering  of  my  life.  During  it  I 
was  dangerously  ill  with  typhoid  fever.  But  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  upon 
me  in  my  sad  condition.  His  voice  was  in  my  ears,  and  I received  constant 
peace  from  him.  I had  joy  in  my  troubles  and  passed  my  days  in  prison  with 
a thankful  heart.” 

Mr.  Hara  says  that  after  his  release  he  could  not  but  heed  the  scriptural  injunc- 
tion to  “ remember  those  in  bonds  as  bound  with  them.”  He  had  been  in 
prison,  and  his  thoughts  were  now  constantly  of  the  prisoners.  He  talked  with 
his  friends  about  them  and  their  needs  ; and,  unable  to  keep  still  on  the  subject, 
he  published  a pamphlet  on  the  condition  of  the  prisoners,  adding  his  opinion 
as  to  how  it  might  be  improved.  This  pamphlet  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
chief  prison  officials,  who  became  deeply  interested  in  his  views.  They  set  him 
to  inspecting  the  prisons  throughout  a large  section  of  the  country  and  to 
reporting  on  their  condition.  He  had  frequent  talks  with  the  head  of  the  prison 
department,  Mr.  Ishii,  and  with  others,  about  the  great  importance  of  prison 
reform,  and  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  difficult  work  of  reforming  criminals 
could  never  be  done  except  by  those  who  have  a true  spirit  of  self-sacrifice. 
Asking  the  chief  to  point  out  any  among  the  many  prison  officers  throughout 
the  whole  country  who  had  this  spirit,  the  answer  was,  with  a sigh,  that  not  one 
could  be  found.  The  answer  moved  Mr.  Hara  very  strongly,  and  raised  in  his 
mind  the  question  whether  he  ought  not  to  give  himself  to  the  work.  But  he 
had  chosen  bookselling  as  his  profession,  and  it  was  hard  for  him  to  give  it  up 
for  such  a calling. 

His  mind,  however,  was  not  at  rest.  He  could  not  attend  to  his  business. 
He  could  think  of  nothing  else  until  this  question  of  duty  was  decided.  He 
frequently  went  alone  to  the  Nihonbashi  church  where  he  belonged,  and  kneeling 
down  by  the  lonely  pulpit  would  think  and  think  and  pray.  He  passed  a week 
waiting  for  the  command  of  the  Lord,  the  words  (Acts  22  : 15)  repeatedly 
knocking  at  his  heart,  “ For  thou  shalt  be  his  witness  unto  all  men  of  what  thou 


9 


hast  seen  and  heard.”  Then  the  decision  was  made,  and,  though  opposed  by 
relatives  and  friends,  he  renounced  his  worldly  ambitions  and  gave  his  life  to 
the  work  of  improving  the  prisons.  When  he  informed  Mr.  Ishii  of  his  decision, 
he  found  that  the  Lord  had  been  preparing  a place  for  him,  for  he  was  at  once 
told  that  the  “ Temporarily- Receiving  Prison  ” of  Hyogo  (Kobe)  was  seeking 
for  a moral  instructor  and  that  he  could  have  that  position.  When  he  came  to 
meet  the  superintendent  of  this  prison,  to  his  surprise  he  found  in  him  a fellow- 
Christian  from  Tokyo,  Mr.  Sakabe,  a member  of  Mr.  Kozaki’s  church.  And  so 
he  was  able  to  give  instruction  as  he  pleased,  without  interference. 

After  working  in  the  Hyogo  prison  about  three  years,  Mr.  Hara  visited  the 
Hokkaido,  and  at  the  newly  established  prison  in  Kushiro  province  he  received 
a hearty  welcome  from  the  superintendent,  Mr.  Oinue,  already  spoken  of,  who 
openly  said  that  what  was  needed  in  prison  instruction  was  Christian  principles. 
His  earnest  desire  for  a Christian  instructor  moved  Mr.  Hara  greatly.  Then, 
too,  he  saw  in  that  prison  many  whom  he  had  instructed  in  the  Hyogo  prison, 
and  though  he  had  no  chance  to  talk  with  them,  there  was  an  appealing  look  on 
their  faces  and  often  tears  in  their  eyes  as  they  saw  him,  as  though  they  were 
longing  for  his  sympathy  and  counsel.  Their  stay  in  the  Hyogo  Receiving 
Prison  was  brief,  but  here  they  were  to  spend  at  least  twelve  years,  and  he  felt 
that  this  was  the  place  to  do  good.  So  he  resolved  to  break  the  ties  that  bound 
him  to  Kobe,  and  go  to  the  wilds  of  the  Hokkaido.  He  was  urged  by  the 
government  to  become  a prison  official  in  Tokyo,  but  he  wanted  to  work 
directly  for  the  prisoners,  and  his  request  for  permission  to  go  to  Kushiro  was 
granted. 

His  going  was  the  beginning  of  Christian  instruction  in  the  Hokkaido  prisons. 
Before  this  the  instruction  was  wholly  in  the  hands  of  the  Buddhists,  and  the 
superintendents,  with  the  exception  of  this  one  at  Kushiro,  favored  Buddhism. 
Providentially  the  transfer  of  Superintendent  Oinue  from  Kushiro  to  Sorachi 
prison  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  appoint  the  instructor  there.  Providentially 
too  his  successor  as  superintendent  at  Kushiro  was  from  Okayama,  where  his 
wife  was  a member  of  the  church.  He  recommended  Mr.  Oinue  to  apply  for  an 
instructor  to  Mr.  Kanemori,  his  wife’s  former  pastor,  who  had  removed  to  Tokyo. 
Mr.  Kanemori’s  departure  from  his  early  faith  into  extreme  liberalism  and  his 
final  withdrawal  from  the  ministry  are  deeply  deplorable  ; but  he  did  a good  work 
before  his  defection,  and  one  of  his  best  deeds  was  his  recommendation  of 
Pastor  Tomeoka,  of  Tamba,  and  his  advice  to  him  to  accept  this  invitation  to  a 
Hokkaido  prison. 

Mr.  Tomeoka,  who  has  become  very  prominent  in  this  work,  was  a graduate  of 


10 


the  Vernacular  Theological  Course  at  the  Doshisha  University,  and  had  been 
preaching  with  much  devotion  and  success  for  three  years.  He  had  become 
deeply  interested  in  Christianity’s  relations  to  sociological  problems.  “ Christi- 
anity and  Pauperism,”  “ Christianity  and  Business,”  “Christianity  and  Philan- 
thropy,” “ Christianity  and  Prison  Reform,”  and  subjects  like  these  were  often 
in  his  thoughts,  with  the  feeling  that  Christianity  is  too  often  a thing  of  words 
and  too  seldom  of  practice.  He  had  little  inclination,  however,  to  accept  this 
invitation,  which  came  to  him  so  unexpectedly,  until  Mr.  Hara  wrote  to  him  from 
Kushiro,  telling  him  about  the  condition  of  the  Hokkaido  prisons  and  the  impor- 
tance of  moral  instruction  there.  Then  the  question  of  duty  arose.  Ought  he 
to  go?  Ought  he  to  give  up  his  cherished  plans  of  pastoral  work?  He  turned 
again  and  again  to  his  friends  for  advice,  but  got  little  encouragement  from  them. 
He  spent  whole  nights  in  prayer  and  meditation.  It  was  three  months  before 
he  could  decide  to  give  up  his  pastorate  and  attempt  this  new  work,  but  at 
last  he  made  up  his  mind  that  the  call  was  of  God  and  that  he  must  give  himself 
to  this  work. 

He  reasoned  with  himself,  as  he  says,  somewhat  after  this  fashion  : “ These 
convicts  may  be  difficult  to  reform,  yet  they  are  men,  our  brothers,  and  there  is 
no  reason  why  we  should  dread  them  or  be  disgusted  with  them  as  though  they 
were  dogs  or  wolves  or  bears.  Our  heavenly  Father  created  them,  and  we  can 
save  them  by  his  Word,  the  Bible.  The  Buddhist  priests,  who  are  the  chaplains 
of  the  prisons  of  Japan,  cannot  reform  these  criminals  who  are  under  the  heavy 
pressure  of  iron  chains.  To  do  this  is  the  mission  of  Christians.  There  is 
more  joy  in  heaven  over  the  one  sinner  that  repents  than  over  the  ninety  and 
nine  righteous  persons  that  need  no  repentance.  Now  I am  going  to  try  and  get 
this  worst  sinner  into  heaven.”  Unmoved  by  the  coolness  of  some  of  his  fellow- 
Christians,  who  thought  his  going  a sign  of  declining  faith  and  of  a desire  for 
office  and  salary,  he  went  with  joy  in  his  heart  to  work  for  the  reformation  of  the 
Hokkaido  convicts.  This  was  in  April,  1891. 

Mr.  Tomeoka  was  anxious  to  get  all  the  light  and  all  the  help  he  could  on  the 
subject  of  prison  reform,  and  within  a year  he  had  heard  of  and  purchased  Dr- 
Wines’  book,  “ The  State  of  Prisons  and  Child-saving  Institutions  in  the  Civilized 
World.”  The  more  he  studied  it  the  more  convinced  he  was  that  prison  reform 
cannot  be  accomplished  except  through  Christian  principles.  He  saw  that  the 
prison  reform  of  the  Western  world  is  one  of  the  social  movements  of  Christian- 
ity, and  felt  more  deeply  than  before  that  if  the  Japanese  prisons  are  to  be 
reformed  it  must  be  done  by  those  who  feel  deeply  the  love  of  Christ  in  their 
hearts.  In  Dr.  Wines’  book,  that  standard  work  on  prison  reformation,  he  found 


1 1 


great  help  in  his  labors  in  Sorachi  prison.  Then  he  got  hold  of  the  Reports  of 
the  Prison  Congress  in  America.  Through  his  study  he  has  become  intensely 
interested  in  the  “Indeterminate  Sentence  System,”  the  “Elmira  System”  as  it 
is  often  called,  and  has  entered  into  correspondence  with  Superintendent  Brock- 
way of  Elmira,  and  with  Secretary  Round  of  the  New  York  Prison  Association, 
seeking  for  information  and  advice  from  them. 

He  is  very  enthusiastic  about  this  “ Indeterminate  Sentence  System,”  regard- 
ing it  as  the  ideal  system.  He  is  interesting  his  fellow-workers  in  the  subject, 
and  hopes  in  time  to  see  it  adopted  throughout  Japan.  Whether  this  desirable 
result  is  to  be  attained  or  not,  the  zealous  labors  of  these  men  in  reforming  the 
prison  system  of  Japan  is  sure  to  bear  rich  fruit. 

The  instruction  given  in  these  prisons  may  be  classified  as  follows  : — 

1.  Moral  instruction  by  a lecture  on  Sunday  to  all  of  the  prisoners,  attend- 
ance being  compulsory.  Distinctively  Christian  teaching  is  not  brought  into  this 
address  because  among  the  prisoners  are  Buddhists  and  Shintoists  and  Confu- 
cianists,  and  to  all  religious  freedom  is  guaranteed. 

2.  Religious  instruction  on  the  Sabbath.  The  study  of  the  Bible  and  explana- 
tion of  Christian  truth  for  an  hour  succeeding  the  moral  lecture,  attendance 
upon  which  is  voluntary. 

3.  Daily  instruction  in  the  cells,  there  being  usually  some  six  or  eight  together. 
This  instruction  is  either  moral  or  religious,  and  sometimes  takes  the  form  of 
answers  to  the  questions  of  the  prisoners. 

4.  Individual  instruction.  Meeting  the  men  privately  for  personal  advice,  a 
method  valued  highly  for  its  good  results. 

5.  Educational,  to  those  under  twenty  in  common-school  branches. 

The  work  being  done  by  Messrs.  Hara  and  Tomeoka  and  their  associates  is  a 
grand  work,  a hopeful  work.  Many  of  these  criminals,  it  seems  certain,  can  be 
reclaimed.  Mr.  Hara  has  told  us  that  they  are  not  originally  vicious,  but  have 
fallen  into  crime  through  pressure  of  circumstances.  My  own  opinion  is  that 
they  are  by  no  means  so  depraved  as  men  under  like  sentence  in  America.  Not 
having  sinned  against  such  great  light,  they  are  not  so  hardened  as  criminals  in 
a Christian  land  are  likely  to  be.  I have  slept  under  the  same  roof  with  200  of 
these  convicts  and  their  guards.  It  was  in  an  immense  log  hut  in  the  forest. 
There  were  no  doors  in  the  hut ; the  men  were  not  chained.  There  were  but 
two  guards  on  duty,  one  at  either  end  of  this  great  building ; and  these  convicts 
probably  had  all  of  them  at  least  ten  years  to  serve.  It  was  hard  to  realize  the 
fact  at  the  time,  but  they  were  spending  night  after  night  through  the  summer 
as  quietly  as  we  spent  that  night.  I have  seen  some  400  of  these  men  listening 


12 


for  the  first  time  in  their  lives  to  a Christian  sermon,  and  have  seen  their  eyes 
glisten  and  the  teardrops  start  as  they  were  told  of  the  blessed  invitation  of  the 
mighty  Saviour  who  was  meek  and  lowly  of  heart,  with  the  invitation,  “ Come 
unto  me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I will  give  you  rest.”  To  give 
the  gospel  to  such  men  is  surely  hopeful  work. 

The  success  of  these  noble  Christian  teachers  is  seen  not  simply  in  their  direct 
teaching  of  the  prisoners,  but  in  the  influence  of  their  words  and  example  upon 
the  officers  and  guards.  Reform  in  prison  management,  as  well  as  in  the  char- 
acter of  the  prisoners,  is  their  aim.  And  this  reform  is  coming  ! This  humble 
effort  in  practical  Christianity  in  these  Hokkaido  prisons,  if  it  goes  on,  is  to 
revolutionize  in  time  the  treatment  of  criminals  throughout  Japan.  And  prison 
reform  in  Japan  will  result  eventually  in  prison  reform  throughout  the  Orient. 
Well  may  these  men  toil  on  in  hope  and  faith  as  they  think  of  the  opportunity 
that  God  has  given  them  ! But  they  need  our  prayers  and  our  sympathy  and 
encouragement  in  this  work. 

And  their  opportunity  is  not  theirs  alone.  The  work  going  on  in  these  prisons 
affords  an  immediate  and  direct  opportunity  in  each  of  the  communities  where 
they  are  located  for  doing  a religious  work  outside  of  these  prisons,  an  opportu- 
nity which  ought  to  be  improved  for  making  each  place  a centre  of  Christian 
influence  for  the  surrounding  region.  An  able  evangelist  should  be  put  in  each 
of  these  places  to  cooperate  with  the  prison  instructor  in  work  among  the  officers 
and  guards  and  among  the  citizens  of  the  place.  This  should  be  made  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  evangelization  of  the  Hokkaido.  These  are  open  doors  set 
before  God’s  people  that  ought  to  be  entered.  Some  of  them  have  already  been 
entered.  For  others  the  plans  have  already  been  laid  for  entering.  As  we  pray 
“Thy  kingdom  come,”  let  us  not  forget  these  practical  efforts  toward  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  Kingdom,  but  pray  specifically  for  the  speedy  success  both  of  the 
prison  work  and  of  these  outside  labors. 

One  other  reason  why  this  work  humble  in  its  beginnings,  yet  growing,  as  it 
seems  to  me,  like  the  mustard  seed,  should  enlist  our  prayers.  It  is  this  : an 
application  of  Christian  principle  such  as  this  of  prison  reform  is  an  evidence  of 
the  practical  nature,  the  social  value  of  Christianity  so  convincing  that  when 
once  seen  in  successful  operation  it  must  aid  grandly  toward  the  breaking  down 
of  prejudices  among  the  millions  of  Japan.  Many  factors  are  at  work  breaking 
these  down  and  leavening  the  popular  mind,  and  among  the  many  prison  reform 
bids  fair  to  become  a not  insignificant  one. 


